Have you ever wondered if there is a universal standard of right and wrong? Or if different cultures and individuals have different moral values that are equally valid? These questions fascinate me.
A while ago, I was talking to one of my Uncles, and he said something interesting that left an impression on me. We discussed religious ideologies when he remarked, “I don’t judge other people’s belief systems because I think if Allah wanted us to think alike, He would have made us so. I feel that we’re all born with our respective missions, guided by our beliefs, and everyone is fulfilling their destiny?” And that had me thinking about relativism.
Because I feel that is such a beautiful way of looking at life. And it certainly makes things simpler to understand. Doesn’t it? How wonderful our world become if we minded our businesses and let others follow their fates? Instead of constantly pointing fingers, you’re wrong; no, you’re wrong; you’re all wrong.
But what if there is no wrong?
Now, you might ask what is the purpose of this line of thought. And the answer is, it teaches us tolerance and acceptance. Two things that I believe the world needs the most.
It’s strange that in this age of the internet and social media, as connected as we are, we haven’t learned to accept diversity. If anything, people are more judgemental than they ever were. From little things to the most controversial, we like to quickly form opinions based on half-information and misinformation. And never pause to think.
Let me give you an example. Recently, someone asked why don’t you people (he didn’t say it in a very nice way) allow pork in restaurants. And by ‘you’ people he was talking about Pakistanis and he said it in a way that made me think he might have a case of Pakistanophobia (yes, that’s a real thing). Anyway, back to the point. Here is a person who has somehow attained a piece of information (which by the way is correct in as much as pork is not served in restaurants) but has not stopped to think before making a hateful comment online.
First of all, keep in mind pork is only illegal for Muslims. And since 97% population of Pakistan is Muslim, it’s going to be very difficult for you to find it. It’s common sense, Muslims don’t consume pork. And if you hardly ever get 1 or 2 Non-Muslim customers in a day, why would you serve it? Does that make any economic sense to you?
So, what is lacking here? Not information that’s for sure. Information is easily and freely available. It’s not ignorance and prejudice, it’s just prejudice. Because understanding and acceptance are the missing ingredients. Those are the things we need to bring back into our lives because knowledge alone is not enough.
And we need to open our hearts not just our minds!
Do let me know what you thought of my philosophy, or is it something you can’t agree with? If you know me, you know there will be no judgment. I have never had a problem when agreeing to disagree or simply disagreeing but remaining respectful and polite.
Have you ever experienced or witnessed ethnocentrism or intolerance? How did it make you feel? How did you handle it?
P.S. If you’re wondering, why I often bring up this subject the answer is easy, it’s something I believe strongly in. Don’t judge, understand, and accept.
P.P.S. Since THINK is such an interesting word, I wrote an acrostic poem. Enjoy!
Take a moment, pause, and reflect,
Hate comes easy, but you can deflect it;
Imagine yourself in someone else’s shoes,
Never stop growing through learning,
Knowledge is important, but so is understanding.
What is your main takeaway from this blog post? Do you have any questions or comments for me?